News

Future of Missouri Cattle Industry Topic of Breimyer Seminar, July 17

US - Cattle sales were the No. 1 income source on Missouri farms for decades. Now cows have slipped to third place behind soybeans and corn.

Still, 50,000 farms in the state raise cattle, says Ron Plain, University of Missouri Extension economist. The state economy is affected by those shifts as cattle numbers continue to decline.

"The Future of the Missouri Cattle Industry" will be the topic for the Breimyer Seminar, July 17, on the MU campus.

Ten speakers will examine aspects of the Missouri cattle herd.

Registration starts at 9:30 a.m., with program at 10 a.m. Plain will open with "U.S. Cattle History, Cycles and Trends." He will cover where we've been and where we're headed.

The annual seminars were started by Harold Breimyer, MU professor of agricultural economics. He had an extended career in teaching after retiring from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington. He started there in the New Deal.

The Breimyer estate provided an endowment to continue the discussions. He skillfully engaged audience members as well as experts in the discussions.

Scott Brown, MU livestock economist, will tell the importance of cattle to Missouri.

He'll be followed by Glynn Tonsor, economist from Kansas State University. He will talk on current and future beef demand.

That takes the program to the lunch buffet. After lunch, Justin Sexten, MU beef nutritionist, will talk about "Opportunities with Animal Performance." Rob Kallenbach, MU agronomist, will follow with "Opportunities with Forages."

The wrap-up talk will be by Trent Loos, cowboy columnist and commentator. His broadcasts are heard on 100 radio stations. He operates a family farm in Nebraska.

The seminar ends at 4:30 p.m.

A meal, breaks and parking permit are included in the $40 fee.

Register by July 10 with Joyce White at 573-884-6572 or whitej@missouri.edu. Late registrations accepted on a space-available basis.

The program is sponsored by the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; the MU Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics; MU Extension; the Breimyer Fund; and the Ruby Green Fund.